Monday

The soaring popularity of Zoom video conferencing software during the Covid-19 "stay at home" efforts forced app updates. Previous options to have a waiting room and password are now required, after "Zoom bombers" entered open rooms and disrupted meetings. In some cases, participants were attacked with pornographic content.

The Citizen Lab issued a report suggesting that the app also suffered from weak encryption, and the company hired less expensive programmers located in China.

Question: What legal and ethical issues exist for schools and businesses moving classrooms and offices to Zoom spaces?

Quibi Tries to Monitize Brief Video
Hollywood stars and executives are backing a new video app. Quibi is offering a 90-day free trial, but the service will start charging at $4.99 per month. The Atlanticreports that, "Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman say they have an app for that, or at
least an argument for it. They’re the founders of the new 'quick bites' streaming service, backed by Hollywood’s biggest studio players and
A-list content creators with the goal of delivering filmed entertainment
in installments of 10 minutes or less."https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/04/how-quibi-plans-to-hook-audiences/609466/

Question: Why would people pay for Quibi video? How can it compete with YouTube and other established channels?

Social media sites joined to battle misinformation about the spread of Covid-19. Business Insider reports that a joint statement on Facebook pledged to combat "fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating
authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in
coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world" (para. 3).

"In response to the coronavirus outbreak,
Facebook is supporting the global public health community’s work to
keep people safe and informed. Since the World Health Organization
declared the coronavirus a public health emergency in January, we’ve
taken steps to make sure everyone has access to accurate information,
stop misinformation and harmful content, and support global health
experts, local governments, businesses and communities," the statement said.

Social media sites joined to battle misinformation about the spread of Covid-19. Business Insider reports that a joint statement on Facebook pledged to combat "fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating
authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in
coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world" (para. 3).

"In response to the coronavirus outbreak,
Facebook is supporting the global public health community’s work to
keep people safe and informed. Since the World Health Organization
declared the coronavirus a public health emergency in January, we’ve
taken steps to make sure everyone has access to accurate information,
stop misinformation and harmful content, and support global health
experts, local governments, businesses and communities," the statement said.

Question: Are the social media platforms doing enough to fight misinformation and disinformation? What else could they be doing?

Mark Cuban: Bored Athletes Will Create Social Media Explosion

"You are going to see a social media explosion — Twitch streams, TikTok
dances — as players deal with their own boredom and further connect with
fans," Mark Cuban predicted. "As for the (Dallas) Mavericks, once things start to normalize, we're
discussing having clinics to get kids out and exercising," the NBA basketball team owner was quoted on Axios.

Question: How could your organization use social distancing and home work to create entertaining content?In Case You Missed It: World Health Organization TikTok Coronavirus Posts

One response to the growing Coronavirus threat is WHO public service announcement-style posts on TikTok. Gizmodo reported that the agency is correcting misinformation about the growing threat and spread of the virus to 4,300 cases in 48 countries.

“We
are on the highest level of alert or highest level of risk assessment
in terms of spread and in terms of impact,” said Dr. Mike Ryan. “This is
a reality check for every government on the planet: Wake up.
Get ready. This virus may be on its way and you need to be ready. You
have a duty to your citizens, you have a duty to the world to be ready”
(para. 2).

Engadget added that WHO is targeting #Covid19 safeguards: "...the WHO stresses that you don't need a
mask if you aren't experiencing symptoms" (para. 1).

Meanwhile,
Corona beer "coming ashore soon" Twitter advertising tasted flat. Amid
criticism, the brand responded that the ads were "consistent" over three
decades. Maggie Bowman toldThe Star, “While
we empathize with those who have been impacted by this virus and
continue to monitor the situation, our consumers, by and large,
understand there’s no linkage between the virus and our business” (paras. 5-6).

At the same time, on Facebook ads were banned that created a run on face masks. AP reported that, "Ads that guarantee a cure or prevention are also banned" (para. 2).

Success
of Facebook and Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours, much
like Snapchat Snaps, prompted Twitter to test a planned launch of its
Stories called Fleets. TechCrunch reports that a Twitter trial in Brazil happened before a U.S. start.

"Unlike Tweets, Twitter’s new Fleets
can’t receive Likes, Replies or Retweets. And they’ll disappear entirely
after 24 hours," TechCrunch reports. "You could visit someone’s public Twitter
profile and tap to view their Fleets even if you don’t follow them. But
their Fleet won’t circulate Twitter’s network, show up in Search or
Moments, and it can’t be embedded on an external website (para. 2).

Twitter
is among the last social media sites to add disappearing Stories.
Twitter research shows users do not tweet, if they want to avoid public
communication. Among the changes ahead, Twitter will create privacy
controls for followers only.

"The company says the ephemeral tweets, which it calls 'fleets,' the AP reports, "because
of their fleeting nature, are designed to allay the concerns of new
users who might be turned off by the public and permanent nature of
normal tweets" (para. 2).

Sunday

Success of Facebook and Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours, much like Snapchat Snaps, prompted Twitter to test a planned launch of its Stories called Fleets. TechCrunch reports that a Twitter trial in Brazil happened before a U.S. start.

"Unlike Tweets, Twitter’s new Fleets
can’t receive Likes, Replies or Retweets. And they’ll disappear entirely
after 24 hours," TechCrunch reports. "You could visit someone’s public Twitter
profile and tap to view their Fleets even if you don’t follow them. But
their Fleet won’t circulate Twitter’s network, show up in Search or
Moments, and it can’t be embedded on an external website (para. 2).

Twitter is among the last social media sites to add disappearing Stories. Twitter research shows users do not tweet, if they want to avoid public communication. Among the changes ahead, Twitter will create privacy controls for followers only.

"The company says the ephemeral tweets, which it calls 'fleets,' the AP reports, "because
of their fleeting nature, are designed to allay the concerns of new
users who might be turned off by the public and permanent nature of
normal tweets" (para. 2).

Question: Why are many people worried that public tweets should not be permanent?

TikTok Hype House Trademark Dispute

A Los Angeles home to TikTok stars, the Hype House, is the site of a trademark fight over its name. Insider reports that Daisey Keech, 20, and Thomas Petrou, 21, dispute their roles in the launch of the creative content site. Petrou had collaborated with social media icon Jake Paul.

"Petrou is widely credited with co-founding the Hype House in December
with the help of 17-year-old resident e-boy Chase Hudson," Insider reports. "But, in
recent months, Keech — who no longer lives in the house — has been
vying for a title change and a more collaborative decision-making
process in the group" (paras. 2-3).

Question: Why do you think so many creative media people struggle with securing intellectual property rights?

In Brief: Trump's Media Lawsuits are About the Campaign, Not the Law

A Washington Examinercommentary suggests that President Trump's campaign defamation lawsuits against CNN, The New York Times, and the Washington Post cannot survive First Amendment libel standards for public officials. "But the campaign doesn't care about that. It cares about how these
lawsuits burnish a key narrative for mobilizing the base — namely, that
President Trump is a Washington outsider taking the fight to unfair
enemies," Tom Rogan wrote. "And it's now abundantly clear that the Trump campaign views these lawsuits as a key reelection tool."

Question: Do you think political defamation lawsuits will have any impact on the election?

In Brief: Site Bans and Suspensions Become Common
TikTok has banned a viral "skull-breaker challenge" that "involves two people kicking the legs from under a third, making them fall over," The BBC reports. "US
prosecutors have charged two youngsters with aggravated assault over
the prank and warned parents to stop their children taking part" (para. 2). Meanwhile, Twitch suspended a user for accidentally firing a gun.

One response to the growing Coronavirus threat is WHO public service announcement-style posts on TikTok. Gizmodo reported that the agency is correcting misinformation about the growing threat and spread of the virus to 4,300 cases in 48 countries.

“We
are on the highest level of alert or highest level of risk assessment
in terms of spread and in terms of impact,” said Dr. Mike Ryan. “This is
a reality check for every government on the planet: Wake up.
Get ready. This virus may be on its way and you need to be ready. You
have a duty to your citizens, you have a duty to the world to be ready”
(para. 2).

Engadget added that WHO is targeting #Covid19 safeguards: "...the WHO stresses that you don't need a
mask if you aren't experiencing symptoms" (para. 1).

Meanwhile,
Corona beer "coming ashore soon" Twitter advertising tasted flat. Amid
criticism, the brand responded that the ads were "consistent" over three
decades. Maggie Bowman toldThe Star, “While
we empathize with those who have been impacted by this virus and
continue to monitor the situation, our consumers, by and large,
understand there’s no linkage between the virus and our business” (paras. 5-6).

At the same time, on Facebook ads were banned that created a run on face masks. AP reported that, "Ads that guarantee a cure or prevention are also banned" (para. 2).

One response to the growing Coronavirus threat is WHO public service announcement-style posts on TikTok. Gizmodo reported that the agency is correcting misinformation about the growing threat and spread of the virus to 4,300 cases in 48 countries.

“We
are on the highest level of alert or highest level of risk assessment
in terms of spread and in terms of impact,” said Dr. Mike Ryan. “This is a reality check for every government on the planet: Wake up.
Get ready. This virus may be on its way and you need to be ready. You
have a duty to your citizens, you have a duty to the world to be ready” (para. 2).

Engadget added that WHO is targeting #Covid19 safeguards: "...the WHO stresses that you don't need a
mask if you aren't experiencing symptoms" (para. 1).

Meanwhile, Corona beer "coming ashore soon" Twitter advertising tasted flat. Amid criticism, the brand responded that the ads were "consistent" over three decades. Maggie Bowman toldThe Star, “While
we empathize with those who have been impacted by this virus and
continue to monitor the situation, our consumers, by and large,
understand there’s no linkage between the virus and our business” (paras. 5-6).

At the same time, on Facebook ads were banned that created a run on face masks. AP reported that, "Ads that guarantee a cure or prevention are also banned" (para. 2).

Steve Austin has had a YouTube channel for 12 years, but NBC News reports that he has gone viral by joining TikTok. He is one of the many former Vine video artists finding a new home beyond Instagram.

Search "old man" on TikTok, and "old man steve" jumps to the top. He has more than 603,000 followers and 5.5 million likes. Over coffee, he recently posted, "Well good morning. I hope y'all have a great day. And when you go out today, be sure and smile and say 'hello' to people."

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey could be ousted by billionaire Paul Singer and and Elliott Management. The Guardian and Bloomberg News report that the "Republic mega-donor" has purchased a “sizable stake” and “and plans to push for changes at the social media company, including replacing Dorsey” (para. 2).

Wiredreports
that YouTube and Instagram influencers say they have not authorized
marketers to illegally paste their faces onto bodies to sell sketchy
products. Once found, the first response should be to send a cease and
desist email to Amazon or other sites failing to monitor advertising. An
influencer must identify "the specific infringement" (para. 10). It may
take the help of a lawyer or brand marketing expert to force a
take-down of the image.

"For now, platforms are not proactively dealing
with image theft on behalf of influencers," the Wired investigation noted. "It’s up to the individual to
report it." Fans sometimes provide the first warning of trouble.

Saturday

Wiredreports that YouTube and Instagram influencers say they have not authorized marketers to illegally paste their faces onto bodies to sell sketchy products. Once found, the first response should be to send a cease and desist email to Amazon or other sites failing to monitor advertising. An influencer must identify "the specific infringement" (para. 10). It may take the help of a lawyer or brand marketing expert to force a take-down of the image.

"For now, platforms are not proactively dealing
with image theft on behalf of influencers," the Wired investigation noted. "It’s up to the individual to
report it." Fans sometimes provide the first warning of trouble.

Question: How could the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) make it easier to stop fake advertising?

Twitter Suspends 70 Pro-Bloomberg Accounts Over Manipulation

Twitter fought back against a political spam tactic of using dozens of accounts to blast identical messages, the Los Angeles Timesreported. The suspension of 70 accounts included some permanent bans of hired content producers.

"These 'deputy field organizers' receive $2,500 per month to promote the
former New York mayor’s candidacy within their personal social circles,
in addition to other, more conventional duties," the newspaper reported. "They receive
campaign-approved language that they can opt to post."

Facebook
changed its Instagram paid political rules after presidential candidate
Mike Bloomberg hired "influencers" to post memes about the former New
York City mayor, Politico reports. "Under the new rules, the content will have to be clearly marked as sponsored" (para. 3)."The
spokesperson said in a statement that the rule change had been under
consideration for some time, with meme posts gaining traction as a
campaign tool, and with both political campaigns and government agencies
inquiring about the company's policies on their use," (para. 4).

Salon was blunt, calling these "fake" posts: "Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg's campaign is paying social
media influencers and a social media firm to flood Instagram with fake
messages purportedly sent by the billionaire" (para. 1).

The Daily Beast earlier reported that influencers were being paid $150 per post: "For a fixed $150 fee, the Bloomberg campaign is pitching
micro-influencers—someone who has from 1,000 to 100,000 followers, in
industry parlance—to create original content 'that tells us why Mike
Bloomberg is the electable candidate who can rise above the fray, work
across the aisle so ALL Americans feel heard & respected'" (para. 4).

Update: The Associated Press called
the changes "murky" in raising concerns. "Facebook’s policies leave
plenty of loopholes, which campaigns
and candidates will likely find ways to exploit until Election Day, said
Dipayan Ghosh, a former Facebook employee who is currently co-director
of Harvard’s digital platforms and democracy project." Foreign
governments also may use the tactic. “We’re in for quite a lot of
turmoil and trouble,” Ghosh said (paras. 4-5).

Sunday

Facebook changed its Instagram paid political rules after presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg hired "influencers" to post memes about the former New York City mayor, Politico reports. "Under the new rules, the content will have to be clearly marked as sponsored" (para. 3)."The
spokesperson said in a statement that the rule change had been under
consideration for some time, with meme posts gaining traction as a
campaign tool, and with both political campaigns and government agencies
inquiring about the company's policies on their use," (para. 4).

Salon was blunt, calling these "fake" posts: "Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg's campaign is paying social
media influencers and a social media firm to flood Instagram with fake
messages purportedly sent by the billionaire" (para. 1).

The Daily Beast earlier reported that influencers were being paid $150 per post: "For a fixed $150 fee, the Bloomberg campaign is pitching
micro-influencers—someone who has from 1,000 to 100,000 followers, in
industry parlance—to create original content 'that tells us why Mike
Bloomberg is the electable candidate who can rise above the fray, work
across the aisle so ALL Americans feel heard & respected'" (para. 4).

Update: The Associated Press called the changes "murky" in raising concerns. "Facebook’s policies leave plenty of loopholes, which campaigns
and candidates will likely find ways to exploit until Election Day, said
Dipayan Ghosh, a former Facebook employee who is currently co-director
of Harvard’s digital platforms and democracy project." Foreign governments also may use the tactic. “We’re in for quite a lot of turmoil and trouble,” Ghosh said (paras. 4-5).

Question: Why is it right or not for candidates to pay for influence posts?No End to Trump DoJ Tweets

Following President Trump's impeachment acquittal, the @realDonaldTrump Twitter account frequently has been used to weigh in on Department of Justice (DoJ) investigations. Attorney General Bill Barr said Trump's tweets made it “impossible for me to do my job,” but the Associated Press reported: "Unbowed by a public rebuke from his attorney general, President Donald
Trump says he has the 'legal right' to intervene in criminal cases and
sidestep the Justice Department’s historic independence" (para. 1).

In Case You Missed It: Aspiring Rapper and Others Pretended to Have Coronavirus

The
newest rage on TikTok and other social media sites is to pretend to
have coronavirus in videos designed to spark online and social media
attention. James Potok, 28, was on a Toronto to Jamaica flight when he
"announced
that he was just in Wuhan, China, and he wasn’t 'feeling too well,' The
Rolling Stone reported (@RollingStone - 2020, February 6).

Potok told
CBC News that, "It certainly wasn't a smart thing to do." He apologized
to passengers for ruining their vacation. The plane was forced to
return to Ontario, and Potok was charged (@CBCNews - 2020, February 4). "Coronavirus is not something to joke about," he said. "People don't take it lightly."